Imagine a world that combines elements of The Incredibles, Discworld, and Marvel. That’s what you get in Forging Hephaestus (Villains’ Code Book 1). I really enjoyed this combination, and I really, really hope the series continues for at least a few more volumes. The basic premise is that the world contains meta-humans, those with special powers, and such people often become either heroes and join the Alliance of Heroic Champions, or a villain who joins the guild of villains. The organization and bureaucratization of crime […]
How would blemmyae react to cussing?
I’m not sure what to make of the Trials of Apollo series. I’ve really liked Rick Riordan’s other series Percy Jackson and Magnus Chase, and while there are plenty of shared features and characters, this series just doesn’t have quite the same fun factor. The Blemmyae are probably the best villain assistants since the Minions, made especially entertaining by the fact that Riordan presents them as stereotypes of Midwestern nice/Stepford wives. Since I’m originally from Minnesota, I find it funnier than maybe I should the […]
A tale of three cities
In the world of V.E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic trilogy, in which this is the first book, there are parallel worlds. There used to be gateways between them, but now only the magical Antari (identified by having one normal and one fully black eyeball) are able to travel through to the various worlds, using their blood and magical ability. Young Kell, fostered with the royal family in Red London is one of these Antari. In each of the four worlds, there is a London, the geographical […]
I’m Haunted By the Lives That Wove the Web
I want to say that I enjoyed this novel more than I did, as it is I waver between two and three stars in rating this. I liked the concept well enough, but that wasn’t quite enough to cover the writing flaws. Ghost Bride is the June pick for the Vaginal Fantasy book club, and honestly I think it’s kind of a weird pick. Although the story contains a romance, it isn’t a love story. I mean, I definitely tend to prefer stories that contain […]